Parra does not start finale with Nationals

Outfielder given a day off to rest sore lower body

By Mark Selig / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- Gerardo Parra, owner of a 10-game hitting streak and .441 August batting average, was held out of the D-backs' lineup Sunday as he nurses a sore lower body.

In last weekend's series in New York, Parra fouled a ball off his right calf. The incident altered his running and led to hamstring soreness, according to manager A.J. Hinch. Parra had played the first eight games of the current nine-game road trip, receiving treatment along the way. He will be available off the bench.

"He's swinging the bat fine, he's been playing fine," Hinch said. "These guys are humans, and these are long road trips. It's humid, it's hot, everybody needs a day."

Hinch said that it was his goal to give each of his everyday players a day off during the long road stretch.

Rookie Trent Oeltjen started for Parra in left field and hit leadoff. He made an immediate impact, sending the third pitch of the game over the right-field wall for his second homer of the season.

Stephen Drew, the team's usual leadoff man, hit third, where Parra has batted the last three games as a result of Justin Upton's being placed on the disabled list with a strained right oblique.

"With [Parra] out of the lineup, Upton on the DL, [Miguel] Montero not catching the day game after the night game, I really wanted to leave Mark [Reynolds] in the four-spot and get some guys on in front of him," Hinch said, explaining his move of Drew.

Mark Selig is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.